


to have you in the summer solstice

by komabda



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Boys In Love, Light Angst, Summertime Sadness, beach sadness, donghyuck is the sun's caretaker so he's never around during the day, mark's a nice guy, some sort of mythology
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-30
Updated: 2021-01-30
Packaged: 2021-03-16 14:48:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,115
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29084172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/komabda/pseuds/komabda
Summary: when the sun is up, donghyuck is never around. mark finds him on the beach each night, stealing pockets of time before his parents come home. he only wishes he could have donghyuck for longer.
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee
Comments: 6
Kudos: 27





	to have you in the summer solstice

**Author's Note:**

> this is just 1.1k of light angst with no real plot because i don't have the backbone or commitment to turn this into a full series...hope you enjoy!

mark watches the red of the evening bleed across the sky, pulling with it the night clouds that hang heavily when the sun goes down. he checks his phone, _7.18pm_ , four minutes away from the sunset. he glances back at the sea, at the horizon that glitters and winks in the shower of falling rays, and the waves that croon and sway in shades of peach and pomegranate.

the sky seems to roll by a little faster today, and the last of the day sinks out of sight before he knows it. to steal and hold the sun for longer, he turns his face to the west, squinting to catch the remaining glow that skips over the water lapping at his feet. it doesn't last long, and he's soon enveloped in grey, the sand and the sea illuminated only by ships in the distance, the faint glow of a yawning moon, and the streetlights that are slightly too far away.

it's quiet, he feels his heart beating and anticipation crawling through him, prickly like the cold and yet warm like a flush.

"hey loser."

mark turns away from the ocean and meets donghyuck's gleaming eyes.

despite the biting ocean wind that nipped at him minutes before, mark feels the heat of a summer breeze push past him, balmy like an early august morning tipping into autumn. it's dark around them but donghyuck never stops glowing, lights pulsing across his skin, dripping from his palms, pooling like liquid gold around his feet. mark feels drawn, like a drifting boat lured to a lighthouse, like the tide seduced by the moon.

"sorry i'm late, you know how long the days are now," donghyuck sounds apologetic, fidgeting with the hem of his singed shirt that curls slightly like a lazily ironed cloth.

"it's okay," mark smiles, and he means it. he has to be home in thirty minutes because it's when his parents return from work. maybe he can push it to thirty-five if he runs, five more minutes to spend with donghyuck.

donghyuck squats to smooth the sand into a shape more comfortable for sitting, ignoring the grains that stick to his skin like flecks of glitter. when he's settled, he looks at mark with a wide, bright smile and pats the empty spot by his side. briefly, mark regrets wearing his black basketball shorts since he knows it'd be harder to get the sand off completely, but he doesn't complain as he sinks into the soft shore. the wind whips their hair around messily but mark feels nothing but warmth.

they stare in comfortable silence at nothing in particular, swaying slightly to the crashing of the waves, shoulders brushing lightly.

"i won't be here next week," donghyuck starts, "it's the summer solstice."

mark expects it, but he feels the pull in his chest, a tug that turns into a sharp twist when he turns to see the apology swimming in donghyuck's bright eyes.

"i know, it's the hardest week in the year for you," mark murmurs.

donghyuck sighs, tilting his face to the sky and letting his fiery hair get even more tussled by the wind. "i wish the days wouldn't be so long. leaves me with less time," he says, _less time with you_ , he thinks.

"you're doing an important job," mark smiles and donghyuck hates how open and understanding it is. he wonders if mark is ever impatient, ever angry, ever knows how to selfish.

"but i'm tired of it!" donghyuck bursts out suddenly, startling even himself slightly in the echo of the beach's silence. "it's tiring to be there to watch over the sun for hours," he continues, more quietly. "i'd rather be here where it matters," he hesitates, "here to spend time with you when we can actually see each other properly."

mark feels an ache deep within him, prickling in his bones and on his skin. he gently reaches out to hold donghyuck's hand, ignoring the scratchiness of the sand and the heat that makes his palm sweat.

"i'll build you a big fire the next time and we can see each other," he tries to joke but the glimmering tears in donghyuck's eyes tell him it's futile.

"you don't understand," donghyuck's voice quavers ever so slightly. "the sun loves everything it touches." he turns his face away from mark to look into the distance, and then up at the moon. "i want to know what it's like to love you that way too."

mark knows something in him shatters and even the warmth that follows donghyuck with unending loyalty isn't enough to chase away the frosty pain that lodges in his throat.

"i'll wait until the winter solstice," mark says firmly. "the sun sets at four thirty, and i'm yours for hours." he squeezes donghyuck's hand.

the smile donghyuck gives him is sad, but his fingers tighten around mark's. "half a year more of waiting," he sighs, "just to have you for a few moments more."

they fall back into silence, donghyuck's head resting gently on mark's shoulder. mark feels his warmth bleed through his thin hoodie, his summer scent soaking into the fabric, and mark wonders if he can trap this feeling in a bottle to hold with him on lonely days.

they are interrupted by the sound of mark's alarm blaring into the night, causing them both to jump slightly. it's eight, which leaves mark five minutes to run home before his parents get back. they both rise, brushing the stubborn sand off their clothes and letting the wind carry it away.

donghyuck is so close, so warm, and mark is captivated by the way his eyes gleam so brightly and yet so sadly. it would be easy to lean in and kiss him, but mark doesn't want to, not when he can't have donghyuck for the next week.

"bye," donghyuck whispers, breath fanning across mark's face. "don't forget me, alright?"

"i would never," mark says, equally lowly.

he disentangles their hands and takes a step back, clasping his palms together behind his back in case he reached out for donghyuck again.

donghyuck stands quietly in the moonlight, haloed by the gentle gold of his own radiance, and mark knows this image will be all he sees when he closes his eyes.

after a beat of hesitation, mark turns to go.

"mark." donghyuck says quietly.

mark pauses. turns around.

"will you take me home sometime?"

the uncertainty in donghyuck's voice pierces him, shakes him, but mark is resolute when he nods. "i will."

he turns his back on the beach, on the fading sun, and breaks into a jog as he feels his eyes start to prickle.

**Author's Note:**

> do leave a comment if you like this!!! i thrive on affirmation for reals!


End file.
